Is Lantern really free and how does it make money?

Lantern is completely free with no subscriptions or hidden costs, funded primarily through donations and community support. It doesn't sell user data, relying on its open-source ethos for sustainability.

Lantern vs Tor: which is better for anonymity?

Lantern focuses on fast censorship bypass and basic privacy, while Tor offers stronger anonymity via onion routing but can be slower. For quick access to blocked sites, Lantern is better; for maximum anonymity, Tor is superior.

How to install Lantern on Ubuntu?

Download the .deb file from the stable Linux amd64 links in the README, then install using 'sudo dpkg -i lantern-installer.deb'. Check for any system dependencies if issues arise.

Can I use Lantern for torrenting?

Lantern doesn't explicitly support or prohibit torrenting, but its free servers may throttle bandwidth or lack P2P optimization. For reliable torrenting, consider a paid VPN with dedicated P2P servers.

Is Lantern blocked in China or Iran?

Lantern is designed to circumvent censorship, but availability can vary by region. Check the community forums for updates and use the redundant download mirrors if the main links are blocked.

How to update Lantern to the latest version?

Lantern typically auto-updates, but you can manually download the latest stable or beta release from the GitHub releases page or the multiple mirrors listed in the README.

Lantern

GPL-3.0Dartv9.0.21-ios

Open-source VPN for speed, privacy, and censorship circumvention, available on all major platforms.

GitHub

What is Lantern?

Lantern is an open-source VPN application that provides fast, private internet access while bypassing censorship. It encrypts user traffic to protect privacy and uses specialized technology to circumvent internet restrictions imposed by governments or organizations. The tool is available for free across all major desktop and mobile operating systems.

Target Audience

Users in regions with internet censorship who need to access blocked websites and services, as well as individuals seeking enhanced online privacy without subscription costs.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Lantern because it's a completely free, open-source alternative to commercial VPNs, with a strong focus on censorship circumvention and multi-platform availability. Its redundant hosting and community support ensure reliability for users in restricted environments.

Overview

Open-source VPN for speed, privacy, and censorship circumvention. Free to download on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Use Cases

Best For

Bypassing government internet censorship and firewalls

Related Projects

Community-curated · Updated weekly · 100% open source

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Accessing geo-restricted or blocked websites and services

Protecting online privacy without paying for a VPN subscription

Securing internet connections on public Wi-Fi networks

Using a lightweight VPN client across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS

Finding a reliable open-source tool for internet freedom in restricted regions

Not Ideal For

Enterprises requiring centralized VPN management, user auditing, and compliance logging
Users needing dedicated servers for high-speed streaming or gaming with low latency
Individuals in non-censored regions who prioritize advanced features like kill switches or multi-hop routing

Pros & Cons

Pros

Broad Platform Support

Native applications for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS with multiple download mirrors per platform, ensuring wide accessibility as shown in the detailed downloads table.

Free and Open Source

Completely free to download and use without subscription fees, backed by an open-source model that promotes transparency and community trust.

Censorship-Focused Design

Specialized technology to bypass internet restrictions and firewalls, explicitly targeting users in regions with heavy censorship for accessing the open web.

Redundant Availability

Multiple download links from GitHub, GitLab, and S3 ensure reliable access worldwide, even if some sources are blocked, as emphasized in the README.

Cons

Limited Advanced Features

Lacks premium VPN features like dedicated IPs, kill switches, or protocol customization, which are standard in commercial alternatives for enhanced security and performance.

Potential Stability Issues

Beta versions are noted as potentially unstable, and the free model may lead to inconsistent server speeds or reliability compared to paid services.

Fragmented Community Support

Support is spread across multiple language-specific forums and channels, which can make it difficult to find consistent, up-to-date help or documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Home

Tor

trojan

An unidentifiable mechanism that helps you bypass GFW.

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MTProxy

MTProxy is a lightweight proxy server implementing Telegram's MTProto protocol, designed to bypass internet censorship and allow users in restricted regions to connect to Telegram. It acts as an intermediary between Telegram clients and servers, encrypting traffic to avoid detection by network filters. ## Key Features - **Censorship Circumvention** — Routes Telegram traffic through a proxy to bypass regional blocks and network restrictions. - **MTProto Protocol Support** — Implements Telegram's native MTProto protocol for secure and efficient communication. - **Random Packet Padding** — Adds random padding to packets to evade ISP detection based on packet size analysis. - **Multi-Secret Support** — Allows configuration of multiple secrets for different user groups or access control. - **Statistics Monitoring** — Provides a local port for accessing proxy statistics and performance metrics. - **Systemd Integration** — Includes example configuration for running as a managed service on Linux systems. ## Philosophy MTProxy focuses on simplicity and reliability, providing a minimal, self-contained proxy solution that is easy to deploy and maintain while effectively bypassing censorship mechanisms.

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